Quality over Quantity
by Ayalli
Summary: Altered circumstances. Mikami is transferred to a federal, maximum security prison in California. Through some twist of fate, he ends up in the same cell as the criminal behind the Los Angeles BB Murder Cases years before...


**AN:** I've decided to write some short stories, each featuring two Death Note characters that, in the canon, would be very, very unlikely to be seen with each other. It'll help me with my character interactions and such. I also literally looked up criminal law to make sure I at least get the surface facts looking mostly plausible. It was pretty difficult, as there really is no precedent to killing with a Death Note. (I mean, the person is usually tried by the State where they killed, but Mikami was killing people that lived in America while in Japan, so... :|)

This was originally suppose to be a oneshot but... I ramble. So, it has now become a most-likely three chaptered story. Maybe four. Nothing really big, though.

**Warnings:** Altered circumstances. BB being BB. Possible ooc-ness (sorry). Some technical details might also be wrong. (Pretend this is an AU if it is.) Took some artistic liberties with the justice system too. (Like I said, there's no precedent!) You can probably understand this without reading Another Note, but no guarantees. And, if you squint, you might be able to see some slash... that is, if you squint a lot, or you're an expert at squinting or something.

**Disclaimers:** If Death Note was owned by me... I wouldn't be writing fanfiction for it and there would be no need for a disclaimer.

...Uh, I really don't want to edit this. It kinda... annoys me for some reason.

But, well, as always, I appreciate any and all critiques.

* * *

The man known as Teru Mikami was arrested on January 28, 2010 on the accounts of murder as well as aiding and abetting a felon. Since Kira was an international villain, rather than a strictly federal one, and Mikami had aided the man in killing, he was deemed too dangerous to remain in Japan and was transferred to a maximum security prison in the United States in a matter of months. He was officially sentenced to lifetime incarceration, without parole, on December 29, 2010.

Two week later, Teru Mikami's permanent residence was decided to be the United States Penitentiary, Victorville.

* * *

On January 13, 2011, when Beyond Birthday heard that he was going to get a new roommate, he burst into a fit of laughter and did not quiet down until hours later. The correctional officers were a bit concerned about how Beyond would affect Mikami and vice versa. Some even considered sending Mikami to a different cell. However, in the end, the general consensus was that Mikami was a murderer (a really dangerous one at that) and that they could not afford to move him just because his roommate is slightly insane.

However, on January 15, when Mikami actually moved in with Beyond Birthday, Beyond did not so much as spare him a glance, as if he did not exist. This continued for almost two weeks before the criminal formerly known as B seemed to realize the existence of Kira's accomplice.

On January 28, Beyond Birthday greeted Mikami on his way back from his lunch as if he had never seen the man until today. "Hello, I am Beyond Birthday. You must be Teru Mikami. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Mikami did not know whether it was because of the way Beyond spoke or the way Beyond looked, but that day was the day that Mikami realized that the man known as Beyond Birthday was completely insane.

It seemed that after that short, one-sided conversation, Beyond had already forgotten about the existence of Mikami and did not speak to him again for five days. On February 2, Beyond asked, "May I inquire about the reason why you are currently incarcerated here at this high-level security prison, Teru?"

The question was asked in an unexpected moment, with a strange level of intimacy, and Mikami was so surprised that he merely stared. Then, finally, when he regained his wits, he said, "I was convicted on charges of murder and aiding a felon, aiding Kira." Even though every other prison inmate seemed to already know why he's here, Mikami was hardly amazed at the fact that Beyond didn't know this. Mikami was surprised that Beyond knew anything at all, with the way he acted.

"I see," he said, as if losing interest in the subject. Then, as an afterthought, "Who is Kira?"

Mikami looked at him in disbelief. Even if Beyond was totally clueless to everything else, how could he possibly not know who Kira is? Kira has now probably made the record books for most famous criminal in history. Kira is practically a god, _the_ God. Oh, but, no, wait. Didn't that same Kira betray him in the end? Didn't that same Kira reveal how pathetically human he was when his guilt was proven? It was a depressing, maddening thought, one that Mikami didn't really want to go back to again.

So, instead, he focused his attention on Beyond. Even during the short while he had stayed at the penitentiary, he had heard things about Beyond. Beyond Birthday was completely crazy, everyone knew. He was captured by the famous detective L himself and not even allowed a trial before being convicted. As he was a perpetrator behind the Los Angeles BB Murder Cases, he was obviously far more intelligent than he appeared. However, he was also completely out of his mind. (_It's probably because he's _too_ smart_, they said.)

"Kira is a famous criminal," Mikami finally said. "He kills criminals from all over the world."

Beyond did not seem to be particularly interested, but, still, he asked, "Is that so? What is his death count?"

"Hundreds, probably thousands, maybe even millions." As soon as Mikami realized how excited, proud, he sounded of about how many people Kira has killed, he pushed it down in disgust. Kira was no god, and because Kira was no god, everyone that has died at his hands were simply _murdered_. He shouldn't be feeling such disgusting pride at a... a simple _murderer_.

Beyond did not seem to notice Mikami's discomfort. "What is his method of killing?"

Mikami was about to deny knowledge of the information before he realized that Kira was dead and that it didn't really matter anymore whether he talked or not, even if they were keeping Kira's death a secret. "A death note." Then, remembering that ordinary people probably didn't know what it was, and that would mean Beyond _definitely_ didn't know, he added, "It's a notebook where, if you write down someone's name while picturing their face, they will die within forty seconds." It was unbelievable, but it was true.

"So, you don't come in bodily contact with the victim at all?" Beyond was not incredulous, amazed, or disbelieving. He just simply accepted it, as if it was the most common thing in the world.

Mikami nodded in affirmation.

"Such a waste." Beyond sighed. "Quality over quantity, I always say." And, then, suddenly, without warning, he breaks out into laughter.

After that, Mikami did not talk to Beyond again for three weeks. Already, as their time together passed five weeks, Beyond had become solidified in his mind as absolutely, without a doubt, mentally ill. The things that Beyond did were so strange sometimes that they confounded even the correctional officers, who were suppose to be used to his antics. (But, Mikami doubted anyone ever got used to Beyond.)

Beyond was different, in every sense of the word. One minute, he would be happy. The next, he would be agitated. He never seemed to do the same thing twice and was always, always unpredictable.

The only thing that was definite about Beyond was that he had a strange fascination with blood. When a new inmate tried to pick a fight with the strange man, he had bitten him, drawing blood, and then proceeded to lick the red liquid, staining his face and hands with it. He had been forbidden to leave his room for three days because of that. He also had cut himself with his nails in the room one night and bled all over the floor. For that, Beyond was put in a straitjacket and locked in solitary confinement for over a week. Both times, upon his return, he seemed to have forgotten that either of the events had ever happened.

If Mikami had been just another inmate, he would've been terrified of Beyond. But, Mikami had been an accomplice of _Kira_, so he had an almost inability to be afraid. (Besides, all that was left for him after Kira's betrayal was bitter disappointment. He had no room for fear.)

On February 24, Beyond asked, "Has this so-called Kira already been captured?"

Mikami was becoming used to Beyond's sudden, unprecedented conversations, so he was able to answer immediately with a, "Yes." He was unwilling to say more, as it would bring him back to the memories of that _time_, when his world had been destroyed right in front of him, when his God had turned out just to be a fake, a sad, bitter fake.

"Who captured him?"

"The police." Actually, Mikami wasn't sure if they had been the police. He just assumed that they were.

"Their names?" Beyond was uncharacteristically interested.

Mikami obediently repeated the names he had seen in red that day at the warehouse. He saw no harm in it, though he didn't really see any benefits in it either. (But, who cares about benefits now that he was in prison?) "Anthony Lester, Stephen Loud, Halle Bullock, and Nate River."

"Nate River?" The name seemed to strike a cord in Beyond. "_Near_?" His voice was one of disbelief and annoyance. He stood up, almost angrily, and paced the room. After a few moments of this, he stopped and asked, his voice returning to its dispassionate state, "Kira is a highly sought after criminal, is he not?"

"He is," Mikami confirmed. Then, he added, "Even L was after him," remembering that Beyond had been captured by the same person.

Beyond's eyes widened. The name of "L" seemed to hold more meaning for him than the ordinary one of famous detective. Without another word to Mikami, he sat down in the corner, drawing up his legs to rest in a fetal position, and began mumbling to himself. "...L ...on the case... why Near... L failed... No, couldn't be... Dead... Near... successor..."

Hours later, when it was well past midnight, Beyond had not moved from his spot nor had he stopped mumbling. Suddenly, in the early hours of the morning, he began to make a noise that sounded almost like crying and almost like laughing. Mikami could not tell which it was.

It was probably a bit of both.

* * *

**AN:** The United States Penitentiary, Victorville really does exist. It is located in Victorville, California, just 81 miles northeast of Los Angeles. I chose it mainly because it was a maximum security prison and because BB was arrested in Los Angeles (and, logically, he must have been tried there too and sentenced to a nearby prison).

Also, obviously, Mikami does not commit suicide ten days after he was jailed.

...I wonder if, in the canon, he was actually convicted? Since criminal convictions take months, sometimes even years. If he hadn't been convicted yet, it would be pretty ironic, as he technically died as an "innocent" man. (Innocent until proven guilty, right?)

And, I just want to say this: titles fail. at life. and death. and everything in between.


End file.
